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Anya M. Wassenberg's Blog: Art & Culture Maven, page 110
July 5, 2015
Wild Vibe: Jungle by Night Dropping Amsterdam's Worldwide Afrobeat-Inspired Funk in New York City July 11 2015
From a media release:
Jungle By Night - Wild Vibe: Jungle by Night Dropping Amsterdam's Worldwide Afrobeat-Inspired Funk on the U.S., with Tony Allen's Approval
• July 11, 2015 - Rough Trade, Brooklyn, NY at 9:00 PM
• Get your tix
When Tony Allen, the drumming power behind the sound of the late and very great Fela Kuti, pronounces a band to be “the evolution of Afrobeat,” it’s got something special. That’s exactly how he described Holland’s Jungle by Night.
The nine-piece powerhouse evolves the American and Nigerian roots of the music, folding in the beats and fierce attitudes of hip-hop and EDM, guided by the wild soul of jazz and the raw energy of rock. They’ve teamed up with Afro-inspired DJs and club music instigators like LA’s Gaslamp Killer and Philly’s Rich Medina. They’ve electrified audiences from Europe to Japan, and in July they’ll be bringing their modern taken on Afrobeat to America as they undertake a U.S. tour in support of their third album, The Hunt.
“We all came to this from different beginnings,” explains conga player Gino Groeneveld, “so we all bring our own ideas and we make them work together. Several of the band members’ father was a journalist in Africa, and he has a huge collection of highlife music. I love James Brown and Maceo Parker, and we grew up on that. The trumpeter came from jazz. All those things fit well in this band. And my brother Sonny, who plays the drums, used to make hip-hop beats. He’s always been a crate-digger, so he got us all into funk that’s off a lot of people’s radars, thanks to samples he tracked down.”
Formed by a group of friends six years ago, the band quickly found itself opening for acts like The Roots, legendary Ethiopian musician Mulatu Astatke, and Benin’s Orchestre Poly-Ritmo de Cotonou. From that flying start they organized their own Afrobeat festival, Felabration, in Amsterdam, bring in Tony Allen and Fela’s music son, Seun Kuti, as special guests.
And the people who have Afrobeat in their blood, one of the creators and the heir, were captured with Jungle by Night’s take on the music.
“Afrobeat to that level is just wonderful and impressive,” Seun Kuti said after they’d performed.
“We just have fun onstage,” Groeneveld insists. “We don’t focus on perfection. We enjoy it, and the crowd focuses on the music. If you’re having fun, the audience will, too.”
But along with the fun and the energy, there’s plenty of skill and focus. This is a new generation with a wealth of fresh influences to bring to the music, using Afrodiasporic forms as a springboard to bring in a wealth of sounds. On “Attila,” for instance, the first single on The Hunt, a synth grabs the ear before a relentless groove takes hold and a trumpet solo that nods toward Bitches Brew roars to life. The production on “Cherokee” owes a debt to Jamaican dub, and “Desdemona” opens with a complex, jagged guitar riff that would sound perfectly at home on a prog rock album, while “To Sugar A Dream” switches the mood by offering three minutes of gorgeously woozy brass languor.
This is the new funk, made up of countless flavors, determined in part by the scene the band came up in. “We’ve been lucky, living and playing in Amsterdam,” Groeneveld admits. “It’s a very open-minded city and there are so many broad musical interests here. You can just look around and find a jam session pretty much anytime. There are good clubs to play, and Holland has 200 festivals a year, so you can find places to play, to experiment and grow. That’s been great for us.”
From Holland they’ve spread their wings, playing all over the continent, before being invited to Japan’s famous Fuji Rock last year.
A nine-piece band can be unwieldy, but Jungle by Night has the sharpness of a razor in its sound. There’s plenty of room for the musicians to improvise. Between the soloists and the formidable machine of bass, drums, and percussion, however, there’s the constantly shifting soundscape, a journey through sonic territories that draws from the influence of dance music. It’s a powerful combination, one to stimulate the mind as much as the feet.
Along with touring, Jungle by Night is also working on a new album, spreading a global net for their music. “We’ve only recorded two songs so far, but one of them is a cumbia. A kind of cumbia, anyway,” says Groeneveld with a chuckle. “We’re taking our influences ever further this time on the album. It has more hip-hop and rock, and even some ideas from Turkey.”
Worldly influences aside, Afrodiasporic funk is still very much the core of the band’s sound. But whether the inspiration begins in Nigeria or Colombia, Jungle by night want one thing when they play live. “We want to get everyone in the same mood,” Groeneveld says. “To have them all with that wild vibe.”
America, get ready. The wild vibe is coming.
Jungle By Night - Wild Vibe: Jungle by Night Dropping Amsterdam's Worldwide Afrobeat-Inspired Funk on the U.S., with Tony Allen's Approval
• July 11, 2015 - Rough Trade, Brooklyn, NY at 9:00 PM
• Get your tix
When Tony Allen, the drumming power behind the sound of the late and very great Fela Kuti, pronounces a band to be “the evolution of Afrobeat,” it’s got something special. That’s exactly how he described Holland’s Jungle by Night.
The nine-piece powerhouse evolves the American and Nigerian roots of the music, folding in the beats and fierce attitudes of hip-hop and EDM, guided by the wild soul of jazz and the raw energy of rock. They’ve teamed up with Afro-inspired DJs and club music instigators like LA’s Gaslamp Killer and Philly’s Rich Medina. They’ve electrified audiences from Europe to Japan, and in July they’ll be bringing their modern taken on Afrobeat to America as they undertake a U.S. tour in support of their third album, The Hunt.“We all came to this from different beginnings,” explains conga player Gino Groeneveld, “so we all bring our own ideas and we make them work together. Several of the band members’ father was a journalist in Africa, and he has a huge collection of highlife music. I love James Brown and Maceo Parker, and we grew up on that. The trumpeter came from jazz. All those things fit well in this band. And my brother Sonny, who plays the drums, used to make hip-hop beats. He’s always been a crate-digger, so he got us all into funk that’s off a lot of people’s radars, thanks to samples he tracked down.”
Formed by a group of friends six years ago, the band quickly found itself opening for acts like The Roots, legendary Ethiopian musician Mulatu Astatke, and Benin’s Orchestre Poly-Ritmo de Cotonou. From that flying start they organized their own Afrobeat festival, Felabration, in Amsterdam, bring in Tony Allen and Fela’s music son, Seun Kuti, as special guests.
And the people who have Afrobeat in their blood, one of the creators and the heir, were captured with Jungle by Night’s take on the music.
“Afrobeat to that level is just wonderful and impressive,” Seun Kuti said after they’d performed.“We just have fun onstage,” Groeneveld insists. “We don’t focus on perfection. We enjoy it, and the crowd focuses on the music. If you’re having fun, the audience will, too.”
But along with the fun and the energy, there’s plenty of skill and focus. This is a new generation with a wealth of fresh influences to bring to the music, using Afrodiasporic forms as a springboard to bring in a wealth of sounds. On “Attila,” for instance, the first single on The Hunt, a synth grabs the ear before a relentless groove takes hold and a trumpet solo that nods toward Bitches Brew roars to life. The production on “Cherokee” owes a debt to Jamaican dub, and “Desdemona” opens with a complex, jagged guitar riff that would sound perfectly at home on a prog rock album, while “To Sugar A Dream” switches the mood by offering three minutes of gorgeously woozy brass languor.
This is the new funk, made up of countless flavors, determined in part by the scene the band came up in. “We’ve been lucky, living and playing in Amsterdam,” Groeneveld admits. “It’s a very open-minded city and there are so many broad musical interests here. You can just look around and find a jam session pretty much anytime. There are good clubs to play, and Holland has 200 festivals a year, so you can find places to play, to experiment and grow. That’s been great for us.”
From Holland they’ve spread their wings, playing all over the continent, before being invited to Japan’s famous Fuji Rock last year.
A nine-piece band can be unwieldy, but Jungle by Night has the sharpness of a razor in its sound. There’s plenty of room for the musicians to improvise. Between the soloists and the formidable machine of bass, drums, and percussion, however, there’s the constantly shifting soundscape, a journey through sonic territories that draws from the influence of dance music. It’s a powerful combination, one to stimulate the mind as much as the feet.Along with touring, Jungle by Night is also working on a new album, spreading a global net for their music. “We’ve only recorded two songs so far, but one of them is a cumbia. A kind of cumbia, anyway,” says Groeneveld with a chuckle. “We’re taking our influences ever further this time on the album. It has more hip-hop and rock, and even some ideas from Turkey.”
Worldly influences aside, Afrodiasporic funk is still very much the core of the band’s sound. But whether the inspiration begins in Nigeria or Colombia, Jungle by night want one thing when they play live. “We want to get everyone in the same mood,” Groeneveld says. “To have them all with that wild vibe.”
America, get ready. The wild vibe is coming.
Post-Punk-Pop: Louise Aubrie - Late 44 (Independent - July 13, 2015)
Post-Punk-Pop:
Louise Aubrie - Late 44
(Independent - July 13, 2015)
• Coming up on iTunes
Indie, post-punk, pop melodies - all of the above apply to the new release by singer/songwriter Louise Aubrie. Late 44 is the third release by the London-born musician who divides her time between the u.K. and New York City. The CD was recorded at the legendary Abbey Road Studios in London, England and includes roster of back-up talent that includes Tom Edwards (Adam Ant), Joe Holweger, David Ruffy (The Ruts, Adam Ant, Dexy's Midnight Runners) and Boz Boorer (Morrissey, The Polecats).There's a nice energy to Masterstroke, the first track and a post-punk emphasis on the classic guitar. Her clear alto contrasts with the jangly guitars and insistent rhythms, with shades of a Roy Orbison tremble at the end of a line. In Tearjerker the lyrics cover the usual territory of heartbreak and desire with a clever edge.
He tried to win her over
With a perfect battle cry
She knew he took her over
With a perfect battle cry
In Perfect Battle Cry indulges in some interesting vocal acrobatics that work in this song but less so in others. As a singer, she has something of a little girl quality to her voice that is a bit thin for some of what she's trying. The strain may be intended for effect but it comes across as a stretch.
The raw energy of punk is tamed and given a careful finish, with clever rhythmic structures that don't allow for boredom along with catchy tunes and choruses.
Next to Nothing is a highlight,
It's been a long time since we fell in love
It's been a long time since you broke the law
Here I stand....
Here the vocal delivery suits the emotion of the song - the tremolo used to good effect and the thin edge echoing the bittersweet mood in a melodic and harmonic structure reminiscent of late 1950's boy band music. I also liked the surfer rock echoes in Kiss Of Life, where the vocals make a nice contrast to the hypnotic swing. Candlelight slows the tempo, the band slipping into a haunting groove - that's the signature sound of the album.One False Move plays to her vocals with a nice agility in the upper range; the quality works with the words and is bolstered by harmonies at the chorus that fatten up her sound.
Louise offers a sound that's familiar yet varied enough to avoid monotony and a killer back-up band that adds textures to the music.
Members/Instruments: Louise Aubrie (Vocals), Tom Edwards (Guitars), Boz Boorer (Additional Guitars), Joe Holweger (Bass), David Ruffy (Drums and Percussion), James Knight (Piano and Keys)
Production: Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London. Mixed at Knight Time Studios, London. Engineered by Gordon Davidson at Abbey Road Studios. Mixed and Produced by James Knight at Knight Time Studios. Mastered by Denis Blackham at Skye Mastering.
Tracklisting:
1. Masterstroke
2. Tearjerker
3. Perfect Battle Cry
4. Winter Dolour
5. Too Late
6. Next To Nothing
7. Kiss Of Life
8. Candlelight
9. One False Move
10. Please Don't Touch
Websites:
Official: www.louiseaubrie.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/louiseaubriemusic
Prog Metal Single: The Unravelling - Master Drone Release: July 8, 2015
Prog Metal Single:The Unravelling - Master Drone
Release: July 8, 2015
• Check out all their music
The Unravelling is back with a dark new single - Master Drone. The progressive metal duo got high praise for 13 Arcane Hymns, their debut album but the project was sidelined in 2011 when lead vocalist Steve Moore was diagnosed with cancer. But after a bout of treatment and recovery, he's back together with co-founder and instrumentalist, Gustavo De Beauville and raring to record.
You may be a Master Drone
But you're still under control
You may be a Master Drone
But you're still under...
This is the second single for the Calgary-based duo after their reunion. The first, Revolt, garnered them media attention and over 20K followers on their Facebook page in just two months. Moore has this to say about the new song,
"The Master Drone is certain of his reality, and therefore living through an artifact. He is opinionated, and likely a respectable, ambitious member of society. He could be a motivational speaker, an atheist, a religious leader, a 'life coach' or a serial entrepreneur. He thrives within identity and strives for new identities as he grows old. He's in all of us. He represents our human programming."
The song takes a stark approach that adds to the atmospheric qualities - ethereal, dark and delightful. Moore's strong vocals are doubled in some sections. He's a gutsy screamer with an unforced sound, like it was his natural mode of expression - but still capable of expressing the angst. The vocals force themselves between an insistent, staccato pattern that weights the rhythm section and soaring guitar lines.
It's an enjoyable diversion to the dark side.
Websites:
theunravelling.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/theunravelling
Recorded, mixed and mastered by Gustavo de Beauville
Lyrics and vocals by Steve Moore
Artwork by Shaun Friesen of Freezen.ca
Master Drone by The Unravelling
Release: July 8, 2015
• Check out all their music
The Unravelling is back with a dark new single - Master Drone. The progressive metal duo got high praise for 13 Arcane Hymns, their debut album but the project was sidelined in 2011 when lead vocalist Steve Moore was diagnosed with cancer. But after a bout of treatment and recovery, he's back together with co-founder and instrumentalist, Gustavo De Beauville and raring to record.You may be a Master Drone
But you're still under control
You may be a Master Drone
But you're still under...
This is the second single for the Calgary-based duo after their reunion. The first, Revolt, garnered them media attention and over 20K followers on their Facebook page in just two months. Moore has this to say about the new song,
"The Master Drone is certain of his reality, and therefore living through an artifact. He is opinionated, and likely a respectable, ambitious member of society. He could be a motivational speaker, an atheist, a religious leader, a 'life coach' or a serial entrepreneur. He thrives within identity and strives for new identities as he grows old. He's in all of us. He represents our human programming."
The song takes a stark approach that adds to the atmospheric qualities - ethereal, dark and delightful. Moore's strong vocals are doubled in some sections. He's a gutsy screamer with an unforced sound, like it was his natural mode of expression - but still capable of expressing the angst. The vocals force themselves between an insistent, staccato pattern that weights the rhythm section and soaring guitar lines.
It's an enjoyable diversion to the dark side.Websites:
theunravelling.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/theunravelling
Recorded, mixed and mastered by Gustavo de Beauville
Lyrics and vocals by Steve Moore
Artwork by Shaun Friesen of Freezen.ca
Master Drone by The Unravelling
June 29, 2015
Dusk Dances Returns to Toronto and Beyond
From a media release:
DUSK DANCES 2015
1 World Premiere, 2 Dusk Dances Premieres,
A Perennial Dusk Dances Favourite,
and the First Ever Full(er) Length Work!
Hosted By Brad Brackenridge
Opening Band Guaracha Y Son and free Salsa class with Miko Sobreira
AUGUST 3-9, 2015 @ WITHROW PARK
DUSK DANCES, with slightly different programmes, will also be performed in Vancouver (July 9-11) at Portside Park; Peterborough (July 23-26) at Rotary Park; Hamilton (July 30-August 1) at Bayfront Park; and Pickering (August 14-16) at Alex Robertson Park.
TORONTO - The 21st Dusk Dances Festival returns to Withrow Park this summer with another week of exciting and entertaining dance works from Canada’s finest dance makers including Esmeralda Enrique, Danny Grossman, Sylvie Bouchard & Marie-Josée Chartier, and Lua Shayenne.Over the weeklong Festival, four-10 minute pieces will be presented, plus the new addition of a final 30-minute work (evenings only) by renowned choreographer Tedd Robinson for Cloud 9. Founded by Sylvie Bouchard (Dusk Dances and BoucharDanse), Karen Kaeja (Kaeja d’Dance) and Claudia Moore (MOonhORsE Dance Theatre), Cloud 9 commissions choreographers to create masterful ensemble works for dancers over 45 years of age.
Each performance, hosted by the genial Brad Brackenridge who guides the audience around the site, begins with the Cuban sounds of Guaracha Y Son and a free outdoor Salsa class with master teacher Miko Sobriera. The Dance programme includes:
RECUERDOS (TARANTO)
ESMERALDA ENRIQUE SPANISH DANCE COMPANY
CHOREOGRAPHED BY ESMERALDA ENRIQUE
Performed by: Esmeralda Enrique (dancer), Nicolás Hernández (guitarist), and Tamar Ilana (singer)
RECUERDOS speaks to the strength and fluidity of memories. The cycle of life repeats itself and memories reoccur in the next generation. History is providing a chance at redemption, a journey that can be heartbreaking or rewarding; a journey of discovery. Premieres this year at Dusk Dances.
BELLA
DANNY GROSSMAN DANCE COMPANY
CHOREOGRAPHED BY DANNY GROSSMAN
Performed by: Michael Caldwell and Meredith Thompson
BELLA was inspired by the opera music of Puccini and a mutual love of Marc Chagall. In 1977 Danny Grossman and Judy Jarvis set out to make a duet for themselves on top of, under and around a table. When Mary Kerr arrived to design the sets and costumes, she took her inspiration from the Chagall images they had been inspired by and created a beautiful painted horse as the centerpiece for this charming love duet. First premiered at Dusk Dances 2007.
PHOTURIS VERSICOLORCHOREOGRAPHED BY SYLVIE BOUCHARD AND MARIE-JOSÉE CHARTIER
Performed by: Sylvie Bouchard and Marie-Josée Chartier
Photinus appearance by: Michael Caldwell, Live insect-o-sonics: Philip Strong
Twin fireflies get separated at birth. After a journey apart, they find each other again, in a cluster of trees, at Withrow Park. See how they grow to become photuris versicolor, or as they like to call themselves, "femmes fatales!" World Premiere this year at Dusk Dances.
MURMURE DE FEMME / WOMAN’S WHISPER
LUA SHAYENNE AND COMPANY
CHOREOGRAPHED BY LUA SHAYENNE
Performed by: Miranda Liverpool, Kassi Scott, Natasha Phanor, Lua Shayenne and Shireen Ali, Drummers: Yohan Franics, Walter MacLean
MURMURE DE FEMME / WOMAN’S WHISPER is an ode to femininity:
“Born to bear the weight of ceaseless adversities
I am she
Stalled in cyclic time
I remain – a woman
Rest your back against mine
Learn the rhythm of my breath
Listen carefully to every pulse in my veins
Memorize the cadence of my heart
In the flux of tempo and beats
We rise as one soul”
Lua Shayenne Premieres this year at Dusk Dances.
DISCONCERTANTE
PRESENTED BY MOONHORSE DANCE THEATRE
CHOREOGRAPHED BY TEDD ROBINSON
Performed by: Karen Kaeja, Graham Mckelvie, Claudia Moore, Ron Stewart and Linnea Swan
MOonhORsE Dance Theatre presents a Cloud 9 commission- DISCONCERTANTE - by award-winning choreographer Tedd Robinson, winner of the 2014 Walter Carsen Prize for Excellence in the Performing Arts. This 30-minute ensemble work to the music of Chopin is beautiful, magical, touching, comical, theatrical and captivating.
Premiered in June 2013 in partnership with Young Centre for the Performing Arts, premieres this year at Dusk Dances.
*Please note: Disconcertante will not be performed at the matinée performances
DUSK DANCES 2015WITHROW PARK, Toronto
South of Danforth between Logan and Carlaw (Chester Subway Station)
Nightly Performances: August 3-9, 2015
Opening Band and Salsa class start at 6:45pm
Dance Performances start at 7:30pm
Matinée Performances: Thursday, August 6 & Sunday, August 9
Opening Band and Salsa class start at 1:45pm
Dance Performances start at 2:30pm
Pay-What-You-Can: Suggested donation $10 per person
More info: duskdances.ca or call 416.504.6429 X24
FB/DuskDances • @duskdances #DuskDances2015
From last year's Dusk Dances:
June 28, 2015
Contemporary Opera: Soundstreams and Canadian Stage announce North American premiere of Julie November 17 to 29 2015
From a media release:
Soundstreams and Canadian Stage
announce hot, young Canadian cast for
the North American premiere of Julie
November 17 to 29 2015
• Advance Tickets
Toronto – Soundstreams and Canadian Stage today announced the all-Canadian cast for the North American premiere of internationally acclaimed and multiple award-winning composer Philippe Boesmans’ chamber opera Julie, which will be presented in English November 17 to 29, 2015 at the Bluma Appel Theatre. Depicting a flirtation that turns into an erotic danse macabre between its aristocratic title character and her father’s valet, August Strindberg’s play Miss Julie was considered too scandalous to be produced when it was written in 1888—only to become a defining classic of modern drama. Canadian Stage Artistic and General Director Matthew Jocelyn directs this acclaimed chamber-opera adaptation, with music direction by Les Dala.
The role of Julie will be sung by London, Ontario opera singing sensation Lucia Cervoni, in her professional Canadian debut. Hailed by critics around the globe as possessing a voice and presence that are “beautifully rich and glamourously beautiful to behold,” she recently debuted and premiered as the lead role in Germany’s first ever production of Fibich’s Die Braut, sung in Czech. Other roles include Dorabella in Cosi fan tutte, Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier, and Hänsel in Hänsel und Gretel, all with Theater Magdeburg.
Baritone Clarence Frazer, currently a member of the Canadian Opera Company’s Ensemble Studio, will portray Julie’s forbidden lover, Jean. The Mississauga native has appeared with the COC in Madama Butterfly, The Barber of Seville, La Boheme and Cosi fan tutte; as well as the title role in Don Giovanni (Centre for Opera Studies in Italy), and in productions for both Calgary Opera and Edmonton Opera.
Finally, Ottawa-born Sharleen Joynt will portray Jean’s scorned fiancé, Christine. The coloratura soprano trained with Calgary Opera’s Emerging Artist Development Program and has sung all over the world, including three years as an ensemble member of the Theater und Orchester Heidelberg. She is acclaimed for her “technical command, spirited acting, and love of taking risks” (Opernwelt). Fans of ABC’s reality dating show, The Bachelor, may also remember Sharleen as a contestant from the series’ 18th season.
“Philippe Boesmans is widely considered to be one of the world’s greatest living opera composers,” says Matthew Jocelyn, “with new opera commissions coming regularly from the Paris National Opera, the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels, the Teatro Real de Madrid, amongst others. Oddly enough, Julie will be the North American première of any opera by this true master of the 21st century. Philippe has been a long-time collaborator of mine, and on the eve of his 80th birthday I am beyond words delighted that Canadian audiences will finally have an opportunity to discover the musical universe of this great composer, in the company of a truly exceptional cast and orchestra.”
"Canada is producing so many great young singers, but all too often Europe beckons with its many reputable opera houses offering stable and lucrative employment,” says Lawrence Cherney, Artistic Director of Soundstreams. “So it is with great anticipation that we bring two of our three singers back to Canada for starring roles in this brilliant production."
ABOUT JULIE
November 17 to November 29, 2015; Opening and media night: November 17
Bluma Appel Theatre, St Lawrence Centre for the Arts, 27 Front St East
A Canadian Stage production presented in association with Soundstreams, with additional support from the Théâtre d’Orléans, France.
Composed by Philippe Boesmans
Libretto by Luc Bondy and Marie-Louise Bischofberger
Directed by Matthew Jocelyn
Music Direction by Les Dala
Performed by Lucia Cervoni, Clarence Frazer, Sharleen Joynt and chamber orchestra.
Pre-show chat: Friday, November 20, 6:15 pm
Post-show talkbacks: Thursday, November 19 (evening), Wednesday November 25 (matinee), Thursday November 26 (evening)
SHOWS AND TICKETS
Tickets may be purchased by phone at 416-368-3110 or in person at the Canadian Stage Box Office: Berkeley Street Theatre (26 Berkeley St). Full details and tickets are available at canadianstage.com
Scene 1 from Philippe Boesmans's Julie, performed by Teatro Comunale Bolzano in 2009
Soundstreams and Canadian Stage
announce hot, young Canadian cast for
the North American premiere of Julie
November 17 to 29 2015
• Advance Tickets
Toronto – Soundstreams and Canadian Stage today announced the all-Canadian cast for the North American premiere of internationally acclaimed and multiple award-winning composer Philippe Boesmans’ chamber opera Julie, which will be presented in English November 17 to 29, 2015 at the Bluma Appel Theatre. Depicting a flirtation that turns into an erotic danse macabre between its aristocratic title character and her father’s valet, August Strindberg’s play Miss Julie was considered too scandalous to be produced when it was written in 1888—only to become a defining classic of modern drama. Canadian Stage Artistic and General Director Matthew Jocelyn directs this acclaimed chamber-opera adaptation, with music direction by Les Dala.
The role of Julie will be sung by London, Ontario opera singing sensation Lucia Cervoni, in her professional Canadian debut. Hailed by critics around the globe as possessing a voice and presence that are “beautifully rich and glamourously beautiful to behold,” she recently debuted and premiered as the lead role in Germany’s first ever production of Fibich’s Die Braut, sung in Czech. Other roles include Dorabella in Cosi fan tutte, Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier, and Hänsel in Hänsel und Gretel, all with Theater Magdeburg.Baritone Clarence Frazer, currently a member of the Canadian Opera Company’s Ensemble Studio, will portray Julie’s forbidden lover, Jean. The Mississauga native has appeared with the COC in Madama Butterfly, The Barber of Seville, La Boheme and Cosi fan tutte; as well as the title role in Don Giovanni (Centre for Opera Studies in Italy), and in productions for both Calgary Opera and Edmonton Opera.
Finally, Ottawa-born Sharleen Joynt will portray Jean’s scorned fiancé, Christine. The coloratura soprano trained with Calgary Opera’s Emerging Artist Development Program and has sung all over the world, including three years as an ensemble member of the Theater und Orchester Heidelberg. She is acclaimed for her “technical command, spirited acting, and love of taking risks” (Opernwelt). Fans of ABC’s reality dating show, The Bachelor, may also remember Sharleen as a contestant from the series’ 18th season.
“Philippe Boesmans is widely considered to be one of the world’s greatest living opera composers,” says Matthew Jocelyn, “with new opera commissions coming regularly from the Paris National Opera, the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels, the Teatro Real de Madrid, amongst others. Oddly enough, Julie will be the North American première of any opera by this true master of the 21st century. Philippe has been a long-time collaborator of mine, and on the eve of his 80th birthday I am beyond words delighted that Canadian audiences will finally have an opportunity to discover the musical universe of this great composer, in the company of a truly exceptional cast and orchestra.”"Canada is producing so many great young singers, but all too often Europe beckons with its many reputable opera houses offering stable and lucrative employment,” says Lawrence Cherney, Artistic Director of Soundstreams. “So it is with great anticipation that we bring two of our three singers back to Canada for starring roles in this brilliant production."
ABOUT JULIE
November 17 to November 29, 2015; Opening and media night: November 17
Bluma Appel Theatre, St Lawrence Centre for the Arts, 27 Front St East
A Canadian Stage production presented in association with Soundstreams, with additional support from the Théâtre d’Orléans, France.
Composed by Philippe Boesmans
Libretto by Luc Bondy and Marie-Louise Bischofberger
Directed by Matthew Jocelyn
Music Direction by Les Dala
Performed by Lucia Cervoni, Clarence Frazer, Sharleen Joynt and chamber orchestra.
Pre-show chat: Friday, November 20, 6:15 pm
Post-show talkbacks: Thursday, November 19 (evening), Wednesday November 25 (matinee), Thursday November 26 (evening)
SHOWS AND TICKETS
Tickets may be purchased by phone at 416-368-3110 or in person at the Canadian Stage Box Office: Berkeley Street Theatre (26 Berkeley St). Full details and tickets are available at canadianstage.com
Scene 1 from Philippe Boesmans's Julie, performed by Teatro Comunale Bolzano in 2009
June 27, 2015
National Lampoon’s Full House The Musical! starring Perez Hilton debuts in Toronto August 18 to September 6 2015
From a media release:
National Lampoon’s Full House The Musical! starring Perez Hilton debuts in Toronto before heading to New York City
Catch the exclusive run on stage at the Randolph Theatre
August 18 to September 6, 2015
• Buy Tickets
Toronto, ON – David Galpern / Corey Ross / Starvox Entertainment today announced Torontonians can spend the summer with the Tanner Family when they see the premiere of National Lampoon’s Full House The Musical! A Tanner Family Parody!. Starring larger than life celebrity personality Perez Hilton as Danny Tanner, the production is on stage at the Randolph Theatre (736 Bathurst St.) for a strictly limited engagement from Aug. 18 to Sept. 6.
Full House The Musical! is the unauthorized musical parody that puts an adult spin on ABC’s Friday night family sitcom. The beloved TV show followed the heartwarming story of a widowed Father whose best friend and brother-in-law move in to help him raise his three daughters. Every episode of “Full House” serves to remind you that no matter how unconventional the Tanner family is – they will always be better than your family.
Visiting Toronto for an exclusive run before heading off to Theatre 80 in New York, Full House The Musical! follows Tanner family patriarch, Danny, who loses his super power of solving any problem with his sensible “Dad Speeches” (complete with soft piano accompaniment). Follow Danny’s wacky and hilarious descent into madness as he slowly turns from wholesome Danny Tanner to foul-mouth and dark Bob Saget. Will he get his “Dad Speech” power back in time to save his family? Probably not!
Full House The Musical! includes book, music, lyrics and stage direction by Bob and Tobly McSmith (Bayside! The Musical!; Showgirls! The
On sale now, tickets range in price from $29.95 to $99.95 and are available online at FullHouseTheMusical.com
Joining Hilton on stage, the cast features Seth Blum as Joey Gladstone, John Duff as Jesse Katsopolis, Amanda Nicholas as DJ Tanner, Marguerite Halcovage as Stephanie Tanner, and Marshall Louise as the Olsen Twins.
Bob and Tobly McSmith
Writers & Directors - pictured left!
Twitter: @Starvoxent; @FullHouseTo
Hashtag: #FullHouseTO
Full House The Musical!
Venue: Randolph Theatre (formerly The Bathurst Street Theatre) - 736 Bathurst St. (centrally located on Bathurst St. just south Honest Ed's – with easy Green P parking nearby)
Dates: Aug. 18 to Sept. 6 - Tickets on sale: Tickets ($29.95 to $99.95) available at FullHouseTheMusical.com.
National Lampoon’s Full House The Musical! starring Perez Hilton debuts in Toronto before heading to New York City
Catch the exclusive run on stage at the Randolph Theatre
August 18 to September 6, 2015
• Buy Tickets
Toronto, ON – David Galpern / Corey Ross / Starvox Entertainment today announced Torontonians can spend the summer with the Tanner Family when they see the premiere of National Lampoon’s Full House The Musical! A Tanner Family Parody!. Starring larger than life celebrity personality Perez Hilton as Danny Tanner, the production is on stage at the Randolph Theatre (736 Bathurst St.) for a strictly limited engagement from Aug. 18 to Sept. 6.
Full House The Musical! is the unauthorized musical parody that puts an adult spin on ABC’s Friday night family sitcom. The beloved TV show followed the heartwarming story of a widowed Father whose best friend and brother-in-law move in to help him raise his three daughters. Every episode of “Full House” serves to remind you that no matter how unconventional the Tanner family is – they will always be better than your family.Visiting Toronto for an exclusive run before heading off to Theatre 80 in New York, Full House The Musical! follows Tanner family patriarch, Danny, who loses his super power of solving any problem with his sensible “Dad Speeches” (complete with soft piano accompaniment). Follow Danny’s wacky and hilarious descent into madness as he slowly turns from wholesome Danny Tanner to foul-mouth and dark Bob Saget. Will he get his “Dad Speech” power back in time to save his family? Probably not!
Full House The Musical! includes book, music, lyrics and stage direction by Bob and Tobly McSmith (Bayside! The Musical!; Showgirls! The
On sale now, tickets range in price from $29.95 to $99.95 and are available online at FullHouseTheMusical.com
Joining Hilton on stage, the cast features Seth Blum as Joey Gladstone, John Duff as Jesse Katsopolis, Amanda Nicholas as DJ Tanner, Marguerite Halcovage as Stephanie Tanner, and Marshall Louise as the Olsen Twins.Bob and Tobly McSmith
Writers & Directors - pictured left!
Twitter: @Starvoxent; @FullHouseTo
Hashtag: #FullHouseTO
Full House The Musical!
Venue: Randolph Theatre (formerly The Bathurst Street Theatre) - 736 Bathurst St. (centrally located on Bathurst St. just south Honest Ed's – with easy Green P parking nearby)
Dates: Aug. 18 to Sept. 6 - Tickets on sale: Tickets ($29.95 to $99.95) available at FullHouseTheMusical.com.
June 25, 2015
Cumbia meets Andean Carnival: Chico Trujillo - Reina de Todas las Fiestas (Barbès Records: June 23, 2015)
From a media release:
Chico Trujillo Releases New Album on Barbès Records:
Reina de Todas las Fiestas out on June 23, 2015
Cumbia meets Andean Carnival with guest appearances by Kevin Johansen and Alvaro Henriquez of Los Tres.
• Buy the CD
If there is such a thing as Cumbia Kings, the crown should probably go to Chilean group Chico Trujillo. Fifteen years ago, in the small town of Villa Aleman, a few miles from Valparaiso, Chico Trujillo started as informal gatherings where singer Aldo “Macha” Asenjo and members of his punk/ska group La Floripondio would play old Chilean and Colombian cumbia hits for fun. The gatherings soon turned into a touring band that would spend most summers in Berlin where they honed their tropical chops (not unlike a famed Liverpool band honing their skills in Hamburg clubs) and eventually take them to Vive Latino; the Hollywood Bowl and Lollapalooza where Jon Pareles, of the NY Times, called the band “a world-class party band” adding that Mr. Asenjo sings lyrics as chattery and percussive as some hip-hop, taking on the ups and downs of love and life.”
A few world tours and six albums later, Chico Trujillo has come to symbolize a uniquely Chilean cocktail. Chico Trujillo is rooted in the cumbias of the pre-Pinochet days and seems to incorporate every aspect of Chile’s popular culture. Chico Trujillo has meshed bits and pieces of Chile’s fragmented past with the global influence of alternative culture and merged it all under the pan-Latin banner of Cumbia.
Their new album, Reina de Todas Las Fiestas (The Queen of All Parties), was recorded in Colombia, Mexico, Argentina and Chile and aims at creating a pan Latin American sound that is still based on good old cumbia, but also incorporates aspects of the continent’s varied musical culture. Los Chicos are still a party band, but it’s a moving party with an Andean edge, some Argentinean slang, and Mexican fans.
The essential new reference on the album is that of Northern Chile’s carnival music. Chico Trujillo recorded with the legendary Banda Wiracocha – a thirty-piece brass band from Iquique. Wiricocha usually plays traditional carnival parties filled with songs, dances and rituals based on pre-Hispanic traditions that have been kept alive by the Andean Aymara-speaking population. Chico Trujillo did a string of concerts with the Banda that proved to be raucous celebrations of Chile’s past and present culture – with forty musicians on stage and a wall of brass as loud and powerful as any other kind of metal band.
Other collaborations include a duet with Argentinean pop star Kevin Johansen – on the poignant Los nervios que te di – as well as a version of Calixto Ochoa’s Colombian Cumbia classic, Playas Marinas, with Henrique Alvarez, singer of Chilean band Los Tres – which may be the most influential rock bands ever to come out of Chile. Reina de Todas las Fiestas also features a track with Rebel Diaz, a political Hip Hop group from the Bronx fronted by two Chilean brothers.
Chico Trujillo’s Pan Latin-American new approach on Reina de Todas Las Fiestas pushes the band at the forefront of a recent movement that is redefining South American identity, with a newfound regional pride and unity. It also gives the band access to a more universal understanding of its music, which is not just confined to its domestic Chilean roots, or the global party-loving cumbia throngs.
It is probably no coincidence that, as he was working on Reina de Todas las Fiestas, singer Macha was also busy with Bloque Depresivo – a side project which mines the more sentimental streak of the South American canon and pays tribute to the Latin equivalent of torch songs: Peruvian waltzes, Argentinean ballads, Ecuadorian Pasillos and the likes. Likewise, Chico Trujillo, while always keeping the beat going, never strays far from a certain sentimental approach that permeates even the happiest cumbias, and it is probably one of the secrets of their success: a level of sincerity and emotion that enables rockeros and cumbieros from every generation to relate to the music at a deep level – while dancing.
Reina de Todas las Fiesta, in that regard, is Chico Trujillo’s crowning achievement with an uncanny ability to reference Violeta Parra, Andean music, Mexican ranchera, Argentinean rock – all that without ever missing a cumbia beat.
Chico Trujillo Releases New Album on Barbès Records:
Reina de Todas las Fiestas out on June 23, 2015
Cumbia meets Andean Carnival with guest appearances by Kevin Johansen and Alvaro Henriquez of Los Tres.
• Buy the CD
If there is such a thing as Cumbia Kings, the crown should probably go to Chilean group Chico Trujillo. Fifteen years ago, in the small town of Villa Aleman, a few miles from Valparaiso, Chico Trujillo started as informal gatherings where singer Aldo “Macha” Asenjo and members of his punk/ska group La Floripondio would play old Chilean and Colombian cumbia hits for fun. The gatherings soon turned into a touring band that would spend most summers in Berlin where they honed their tropical chops (not unlike a famed Liverpool band honing their skills in Hamburg clubs) and eventually take them to Vive Latino; the Hollywood Bowl and Lollapalooza where Jon Pareles, of the NY Times, called the band “a world-class party band” adding that Mr. Asenjo sings lyrics as chattery and percussive as some hip-hop, taking on the ups and downs of love and life.”A few world tours and six albums later, Chico Trujillo has come to symbolize a uniquely Chilean cocktail. Chico Trujillo is rooted in the cumbias of the pre-Pinochet days and seems to incorporate every aspect of Chile’s popular culture. Chico Trujillo has meshed bits and pieces of Chile’s fragmented past with the global influence of alternative culture and merged it all under the pan-Latin banner of Cumbia.
Their new album, Reina de Todas Las Fiestas (The Queen of All Parties), was recorded in Colombia, Mexico, Argentina and Chile and aims at creating a pan Latin American sound that is still based on good old cumbia, but also incorporates aspects of the continent’s varied musical culture. Los Chicos are still a party band, but it’s a moving party with an Andean edge, some Argentinean slang, and Mexican fans.
The essential new reference on the album is that of Northern Chile’s carnival music. Chico Trujillo recorded with the legendary Banda Wiracocha – a thirty-piece brass band from Iquique. Wiricocha usually plays traditional carnival parties filled with songs, dances and rituals based on pre-Hispanic traditions that have been kept alive by the Andean Aymara-speaking population. Chico Trujillo did a string of concerts with the Banda that proved to be raucous celebrations of Chile’s past and present culture – with forty musicians on stage and a wall of brass as loud and powerful as any other kind of metal band.
Other collaborations include a duet with Argentinean pop star Kevin Johansen – on the poignant Los nervios que te di – as well as a version of Calixto Ochoa’s Colombian Cumbia classic, Playas Marinas, with Henrique Alvarez, singer of Chilean band Los Tres – which may be the most influential rock bands ever to come out of Chile. Reina de Todas las Fiestas also features a track with Rebel Diaz, a political Hip Hop group from the Bronx fronted by two Chilean brothers.Chico Trujillo’s Pan Latin-American new approach on Reina de Todas Las Fiestas pushes the band at the forefront of a recent movement that is redefining South American identity, with a newfound regional pride and unity. It also gives the band access to a more universal understanding of its music, which is not just confined to its domestic Chilean roots, or the global party-loving cumbia throngs.
It is probably no coincidence that, as he was working on Reina de Todas las Fiestas, singer Macha was also busy with Bloque Depresivo – a side project which mines the more sentimental streak of the South American canon and pays tribute to the Latin equivalent of torch songs: Peruvian waltzes, Argentinean ballads, Ecuadorian Pasillos and the likes. Likewise, Chico Trujillo, while always keeping the beat going, never strays far from a certain sentimental approach that permeates even the happiest cumbias, and it is probably one of the secrets of their success: a level of sincerity and emotion that enables rockeros and cumbieros from every generation to relate to the music at a deep level – while dancing.Reina de Todas las Fiesta, in that regard, is Chico Trujillo’s crowning achievement with an uncanny ability to reference Violeta Parra, Andean music, Mexican ranchera, Argentinean rock – all that without ever missing a cumbia beat.
Alt-Punk Release - New Single: Magnificent Birds of Prey 'Can't Wash My Soul'
From a media release:
Alt-Punk Release - New Single:
Magnificent Birds of Prey
Can't Wash My Soul
from the upcoming album Kaleidoscope (August 18, 2015 release)
Formed by friends from Philadelphia, New Jersey & Pittsburgh; the sound of the Northeast exports, Magnificent Birds of Prey reflects the loud, dirty and addictive nature of their respective suburbs, set to the heartbeat of the City of Brotherly Love.
The techy and sometimes psychedelic four-piece has drawn comparisons to Superchunk, Pearl Jam, Guided By Voices and Manchester Orchestra for their wily mix of indie/alternative rock and literary prowess. They name check bodies of work as varied as Star Trek, Kurt Vonnegut and Pulp Fiction and hope to make good on their name by bringing in “magnificent” sonic landscapes with unbridled attack, coining their sound ‘karate rock’- a music that moves you. “We question ourselves in both silly and serious ways”, says lead vocalist Lyle, “and that lighthearted nature finds its way into our music”.
Magnificent Birds of Prey will be releasing their new album Kaleidoscope August 18th and heading out on a regional tour of the Northeast this Summer/Fall.
Alt-Punk Release - New Single:
Magnificent Birds of Prey
Can't Wash My Soul
from the upcoming album Kaleidoscope (August 18, 2015 release)
Formed by friends from Philadelphia, New Jersey & Pittsburgh; the sound of the Northeast exports, Magnificent Birds of Prey reflects the loud, dirty and addictive nature of their respective suburbs, set to the heartbeat of the City of Brotherly Love.The techy and sometimes psychedelic four-piece has drawn comparisons to Superchunk, Pearl Jam, Guided By Voices and Manchester Orchestra for their wily mix of indie/alternative rock and literary prowess. They name check bodies of work as varied as Star Trek, Kurt Vonnegut and Pulp Fiction and hope to make good on their name by bringing in “magnificent” sonic landscapes with unbridled attack, coining their sound ‘karate rock’- a music that moves you. “We question ourselves in both silly and serious ways”, says lead vocalist Lyle, “and that lighthearted nature finds its way into our music”.
Magnificent Birds of Prey will be releasing their new album Kaleidoscope August 18th and heading out on a regional tour of the Northeast this Summer/Fall.
Visual Arts: Summer Exhibitions at the Art Gallery of Mississauga
From a media release:
Be a Sport
Pan American Photo Exhibition
Kim Lee Kho | Chains Unlinked
July 2 - September 13, 2015
The Art Gallery of Mississauga (AGM) presents three new exhibitions for the summer of 2015: Be a Sport, Pan American Photo Exhibition, and Kim Lee Kho's Chains Unlinked.
With the GTA community avidly focused on hosting the 2015 Pan Am & Parapan American Games, the AGM presents Be a Sport, a group exhibition featuring local and international artists exploring the cultural significance of athletic achievement, the continual quest for victory and how issues of gender, race, inequality and conflict are caught up in the arena of sport. Eight contemporary artists and collectives bridge the now often separated worlds of art and sports by using aesthetics, philosophy and humour to play with how we understand some of our favourite pastimes. Participating artists include Hudson Christie, Lia Darjes, JEFF&GORDON , Marc Losier, Leah Modigliani, Graeme Patterson, Diana Thorneycroft, and Weber & Schneider. Be a Sport is presented as an official IGNITE Community Partnership of the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games.
To celebrate the rich diversity of Pan American cultures, the AGM is partnering with the Hispanic Canadian Arts and Cultural Association to present the Pan American Photo Exhibition. This international juried show celebrates the vibrancy of the cultures in the 41 Pan American countries through the lens of photography to promote inclusivity and cross-cultural connection. The AGM will be one of the four venues on the tour of this exhibition: Metro Hall in Toronto (June 27 - July 2), The Art Gallery of Mississauga (July 2 - September 13), HCACA website gallery (June 25 - August 15), The Assembly Hall Gallery in Etobicoke, (July 23 - Aug 14).
In the gallery's XIT-RM space, Brampton-based artist Kim Lee Kho uses drawing, video and sculptural elements to explore ideas of barriers (whether internal or external), vulnerability and empathy. Kho's interest in confinement and vulnerability is influenced by her mixed-race identity and the experience of a decade of illness which often left her housebound. Through an immersive installation, Kho invites viewers to walk through a space that examines constraint in an open public setting.
"The AGM is pleased to partner with the IGNITE program of the Toronto 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games and the Hispanic Canadian Arts and Cultural Association to present exhibitions that address the ideas of diversity and equality and the unifying power of sport. As a host city for the 2015 Games, we are honored to feature the work of both national and local artists whose interest in transnational conversations speaks both to and from the multicultural fabric and dialogue of our vibrant city."
- Mandy Salter, Director | Curator, Art Gallery of Mississauga
QUICK FACTS
• Programmed with IGNITE Community Partnership of the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games, Be a Sport will feature both international and local artists examining the culture and influence of sports.
• The Pan American Photo Exhibition will feature an array of photographs from the 41 countries participating in the Pan Am Games.
• The exhibitions open at the Art Gallery of Mississauga on Thursday, July 2 at 6 pm. There will be a free bus from The Gladstone Hotel (1214 Queen St W, Toronto) at 6 pm.
Be a Sport
Pan American Photo Exhibition
Kim Lee Kho | Chains Unlinked
July 2 - September 13, 2015
The Art Gallery of Mississauga (AGM) presents three new exhibitions for the summer of 2015: Be a Sport, Pan American Photo Exhibition, and Kim Lee Kho's Chains Unlinked.
With the GTA community avidly focused on hosting the 2015 Pan Am & Parapan American Games, the AGM presents Be a Sport, a group exhibition featuring local and international artists exploring the cultural significance of athletic achievement, the continual quest for victory and how issues of gender, race, inequality and conflict are caught up in the arena of sport. Eight contemporary artists and collectives bridge the now often separated worlds of art and sports by using aesthetics, philosophy and humour to play with how we understand some of our favourite pastimes. Participating artists include Hudson Christie, Lia Darjes, JEFF&GORDON , Marc Losier, Leah Modigliani, Graeme Patterson, Diana Thorneycroft, and Weber & Schneider. Be a Sport is presented as an official IGNITE Community Partnership of the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games.To celebrate the rich diversity of Pan American cultures, the AGM is partnering with the Hispanic Canadian Arts and Cultural Association to present the Pan American Photo Exhibition. This international juried show celebrates the vibrancy of the cultures in the 41 Pan American countries through the lens of photography to promote inclusivity and cross-cultural connection. The AGM will be one of the four venues on the tour of this exhibition: Metro Hall in Toronto (June 27 - July 2), The Art Gallery of Mississauga (July 2 - September 13), HCACA website gallery (June 25 - August 15), The Assembly Hall Gallery in Etobicoke, (July 23 - Aug 14).
In the gallery's XIT-RM space, Brampton-based artist Kim Lee Kho uses drawing, video and sculptural elements to explore ideas of barriers (whether internal or external), vulnerability and empathy. Kho's interest in confinement and vulnerability is influenced by her mixed-race identity and the experience of a decade of illness which often left her housebound. Through an immersive installation, Kho invites viewers to walk through a space that examines constraint in an open public setting.
"The AGM is pleased to partner with the IGNITE program of the Toronto 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games and the Hispanic Canadian Arts and Cultural Association to present exhibitions that address the ideas of diversity and equality and the unifying power of sport. As a host city for the 2015 Games, we are honored to feature the work of both national and local artists whose interest in transnational conversations speaks both to and from the multicultural fabric and dialogue of our vibrant city."- Mandy Salter, Director | Curator, Art Gallery of Mississauga
QUICK FACTS
• Programmed with IGNITE Community Partnership of the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games, Be a Sport will feature both international and local artists examining the culture and influence of sports.
• The Pan American Photo Exhibition will feature an array of photographs from the 41 countries participating in the Pan Am Games.
• The exhibitions open at the Art Gallery of Mississauga on Thursday, July 2 at 6 pm. There will be a free bus from The Gladstone Hotel (1214 Queen St W, Toronto) at 6 pm.
June 19, 2015
Africa in Toronto: 27th Annual Afrofest 2015 // July 4 & 5 2015
From a media release:
Africa in Toronto:
27th Annual Afrofest 2015 // July 4 & 5 2015
Woodbine Park, Toronto
Presented by Music Africa Inc.
For the first time in its history, Music Africa Inc. is partnering with Africa New Music to present the 2015 edition of AFROFEST which is shaping out to be our biggest festival yet. With about 35 scheduled live performances, workshops, spoken word artists, dance groups, an interactive children’s village and marketplace, with over 70 vendors, there is something for everyone.
With the Pan American games being held in Toronto in the summer of 2015, we are proud to part of this historic event. Though the details are still being finalized, the Pan Am torch relay will make a stop at AFROFEST onSunday July 05, 2015. By doing this, AFROFEST aims to promote the understanding of African culture by reaching out and attracting to non-African audiences.The living legendary Zouk group – Kassav, The king of Makossa – San Fan Thomas and the highly energetic and dynamic Congolese group – Wenge Musica Nouvelle Generation featuring Bill Clinton Kalonji, Celeo Scram and Flamme Kapaya are just a few artists who are expected to thrill AFROFEST’s ever-growing audience. Stay connected to get more information on the AFROFEST schedule.
• Check out the line-up
Some of the headliners:
Dacosta (Rwanda)
Kateneen Cheka (Guinea)
Tich Maredza Band (Zimbabwe)
Trinity (Botswana)
San Fan Thomas (Cameroon))
Wenge Musica – Bill Clinton Kalonji (Congo DRC)
Kassav (Paris-based Caribbean Zouk band)
Sam Fan Thomas - a legend in Cameroon - performing with fellow Cameroonian Tala Andre Marie in Paris in May 2015:
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